How Valassis used bots on Facebook Messenger to drive offline auto sales

The program was successful because it also included qualified ad targeting and human follow-up.

Bots are often discussed as a kind of magic solution for marketers: scalable, customizable and attractive to millennials. Some of that is accurate, but as always, there’s a more complex story beyond the hype. There’s also the very real risk of poor execution.

A recent case study from Valassis is valuable for insight into what an intelligent use of bots looks like. Chatbots (on Facebook Messenger) were integrated into a larger automotive lead-generation campaign that involved careful targeting of prospects and human follow-up.

Valassis worked with Feldman Automotive Group in Detroit, Michigan, to drive leads and sales offline to local auto dealers. Valassis and a partner built a chatbot on Facebook Messenger for Feldman to help qualify leads.

Prospects were exposed to targeted Facebook ads in the News Feed. Audience members were in-market automotive shoppers. The audience was further qualified using location targeting: car shoppers within a specified radius of Feldman dealership locations.

About The Author

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog, Screenwerk, about connecting the dots between digital media and real-world consumer behavior. He is also VP of Strategy and Insights for the Local Search Association. Follow him on Twitter or find him at Google+.